You will need about three months from Idea to Opening. Remember, the end result is vital TV and Press Coverage for your Cause. You'll need a stable of top sculptors and contemporary artists...not the Craftshop Set, who paint sunsets, little bush huts and gumtrees. Start by talking to the leading gallery and top artists in your area.
1) Build up a list (names, addresses & phone numbers) of 20/25 artists.
2) Find a good venue, plenty of natural light and space, in a busy shopping area.
Maybe a Gallery will accomodate you, rent free for the expected TV publicity.
3) You'll need the Show to run over two weekends, opening on a Friday night, closing at 5pm on Sunday week. Allow Thursday AM for artists to deliver work, Thursday and Friday for hanging...and Monday-week for artists to collect their work. Confirm the dates.
4) If the Gallery wall space is equivalent to three large rooms, you'll be able to hang about 75/80 paintings of medium size. However to get a dramatic effect, it's advisable to have about 10 large ones. If the average price of paintings is $300, you'll have about $32,000 worth on the premises. If the building is wood, it's wise to insure contents against fire. However Insurance costs have skyrocketed for theft/comprensive cover, so you will have to notify artists on this.
5) Week One: Phone all artists and discuss the Show. It must have a name that clearly states your Cause in all free publicity. Our first was called `Save the Valleys', the second was `Water Save'.
6) Week Two: Mail Information Details and Entry Form to all artists. See example.
7) Week Three: Organize the personality to open the Show. Theatrical folk are good draw-cards for the Media. An environmental singer like John Williamson is perfect. A TV star, an author or a well-known actor? Great! We invited Phyllis Campbell of Greenpeace, because she was a known Brisbane Radio & TV identity and her gift of promoting an emotional response was brilliant.
8) Week Four: Design the Private Invitations for the openings and get a quote on printing 200. A send-out of this size will bring in a crowd of about 80/100. Design a smaller variation for the Letterbox drop and get a quote on 2500. You'll want delivery at the latest 5 weeks before the Opening. Ask your local Gallery to see some previous invitations for all necessary wording: Name of show, what its in aid of, where it's held, who's opening it, at what time, food/drink to be served...and how long the show runs, dates and times. #7: Sugar Glider Sleeping $135 ANN BOCK
9) Week Five: Phone all artists and chase them for their Entry forms and Entry Fee. You'll be needing funds for postage and printer's bills. You may need a Donation Entry Box at the Gallery Door, or a raffle to raise extra funds.
10) Week Six: Make out the Invitation List and address envelopes. Double check that they fit the invitations easily. Be sure to send invitations to all media and journalists, local Councillors, State Politicians and the bureaucrats you've been hounding, as well as all the Social Set, doctors, solicitors and good friends in the Community. Keep in a safe place for mailing on Week Ten: Plan to hand deliver as many as possible to save postage.
11) Week Seven: Write your PR Articles and send out the first announcement about the the Art Show, listing a few of the artists and inviting any others who may be interested. It's a good idea to include a photo of someone painting their picture at this stage. A postcard size color shot will do.
12) Week Eight: To get the most mileage out of the Show, you'll need a roster of presentable arty people to talk to visitors about the pictures and especially about the Threatened Problem. Two people a day works well, with perhaps three on the weekends. You'll also need about three experienced people to hang the show. Rule up a Roster Sheet, phone up and sort out the Helpers. Be sure to include all their names and phone numbers in case of emergencies later. Give everyone on the list a copy, so they can plan ahead. Invitations should be delivered from printer by now.
13) Week Nine: By now you MUST have all the entry forms back. Chase up any latecomers. If it looks like you are going to be short of paintings, get extras from local artists. Now is the time to type up your Check-in/Check-out List in alphabetical order. It works best if you can do this on a Word Processor, so that last minute changes can be made on the Thursday night after all the pictures have been delivered. (Sample for reference.) 14) Week Ten: Invitations to be mailed on Friday, so they arrive early in the week. Phone the Television Stations and advise their Programme Producer to mark the time and date of the opening, so they can film the Celebrity. Make sure the Producer gets an invitation. Now is the time for designing the Art Show posters. Do it in Black and white, so 20/30 can be Xerox'd and colored in. Information should include: Name of Show, `to save what', venue address, from when-to-when and daily opening times<15) Week Eleven: Send out first series of PR stories. Don't forget the Art Editors or Reporters on regional Radio and Press. Phone up any Social Page Journalists and tell them the EXCITING personality, the BIG NAME artist, the INTERSTATE visitor you expect at the Opening. Invite them to bring a photographer.
16) Week Twelve: Organise who and how you are going to do the Mailbox drop. This can be done during end of Week Twelve, Thirteen and on Monday of Week Fourteen. Buy Receipt Book, Red Stickers, Drawing pins, Picture hooks & strong fishing line for hanging if needed. Organize Donation Box, Raffle & tickets, and a Petty Cash Box for takings. Send off more PR stories about the wonderful paintings available for sale, priced from as little as $?? from such famous artists as Bla-bla-bla. Make final plans for the Wine and Nibbles for the Opening. Confirm with your Celebrity that they will be on time for the Opening. Record 90min background music and organ<17) Week Thirteen: Monday AM: Phone all artists and remind them that paintings/sculptures have to be delivered at Gallery between 9 and 10am on Thursday. Ask if there any changes to their works or prices listed on the Entry Form. Mark these on the Check-in/Check-out List. Now you can type up the Sales List (Example) and a duplicate set of the Picture Price Tags (Example)
Thursday AM: One tag will go on the back (or on the glass) of every painting as it is delivered. Make sure the artist does this, so there is no mix-up with names and prices. Mark every piece of art on the Check-in List and confirm Net Price with artist.
Thursday Noon & PM: Place pictures on the floor and around the walls, so you develop a pleasing color theme. Stand at the entrance of each room and make sure there is a good dramatic piece on the opposite wall to give a stunning effect.
When the Hanging is completed before mid-afternoon Friday, place the Picture Price Tag below each painting. By having these you'll not need a Catalogue.
Sales System: Red Spot goes on picture, placed there by purchaser. Receipt is written, and Deposit or Full Payment marked on Sales Sheet. Paintings may be collected on final Sunday afternoon of Show. Pottery and hand-blown glassware is an excellent money spinner, these items are usually taken immediately they are paid for.
Commission: Galleries take a third of the Sale Price, which in fact means 50% is added to the Artist's Net Price.
18) Week Fourteen: Monday you should get on Talk Back Radio Shows to spread the word. If TV didn't turn up for the opening, now is your second chance. Tee up a personality artist or children & their posters to supply interesting footage.
Serve lots of coffee or wine and get talking face-to-face with all the people who come to see the show. Maybe a poetry reading on Friday Night would give the Show another kick-along...for more PR and greater attendance. Our two Art Shows generated three x 1 Minute TV News items, 5 Talk Back Radio interviews of about 10 min each, 3 Front Page News stories and about 26 other short stories.
19) Week Fifteen: Monday: When pictures are returned to artists, make sure they sign for each one. If they are picked up by someone else, be sure to get that person's name and phone number. Slip-ups can happen.
Tuesday: Do your accounts immediately and send payment cheques to the Artists. They'll be delighted and impressed. It's a sure way to get them to support your next effort.
Wednesday: Write or phone the Journalists, the Celebrities and the Gallery Owner who helped make the Show a success.
Last Update: 8/21/97, This page © Copyright Barbara Corbett, World Rights Reserved, Universal rights reserved